Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Friends tomorrow,i.e.,17th February is the day of 74'th b'day of the world's most popular and influential character Phantom-The Ghost Who walks.Exactly 74 years from now,i.e. on 17th Feb 1936, this immortal character's first daily strip,The Singh Brotherhood,appeared in US newspapers.Phantom was the first masked hero of the comic history and formed the main inspiration behind the creation of another masked hero,Batman.

(images courtesy:Deep Woods)

From its inception Phantom rose to immense popularity and soon become the most ever read character of the world.Its popularity broke all barriers of country and language and at its peak it was being published in more than 36 countries and equal no. of languages of the world.India enjoys a special status in Phantom history as Lee Falk originally planned Phantom to be based at India only,in its very early strips one can find Phantom in action in Indian cities such as Calcutta,Madras and Bombay.It was only later when Falk shifted Phantom country in and around Africa.India is the 2nd largest country if measured on the scale of Phantom popularity after Australia.A whole of Indian generation grew on Phantom comics specially Indrajal comics which enthralled the whole Indian readership from 1964-90.

Phantom is my most cherished and adored character,i can read Falk's strips again and again and at any time without getting bored.I have been reading Phantom stories from early 80's and will continue reading them until i can.What's so special in Phantom!what's the secret of his super popularity all over the world!
He is not a superhero,he is a like any other common man who has moulded himself in a perfect crime fighter,which is quite possible for any of us to do.He is neither arrogant nor proudy despite of being wealthiest man of the planet,he is humbly down to earth,he is modest,he was/is extremely loyal towards his wife,he is staunch supporter of humanity and democracy,he never gives a second thought to put his life in danger for others.
These are the qualities which makes him a perfect role model for whole humanity.Phantom fans are most often termed as 'Phans',me too is a Phan but only of Falkian Phantom only.So,all Phans of all over the world,lets wish today our dream hero a very Happy Birthday.Long live Phantom and long live Lee Falk.

On this special occasion here is a very short quiz based on Phantom Falkian-strips.Lets see how much you know your hero.

Q.1.Can you identify the strips from which these panels are taken:(a.)

(b.)

(c.)

(d.)

(e.)

(f.)

Q.2.Who was the first person to see Phantom's face after Diana?

Q.3.What was the name of the first villain who got killed by Phantom?

Q.4.Which Phantom was the founder of Jungle Patrol?

Q.5.On which date Phantom for the very first time did appeared in his very first daily Strip-The Singh Brotherhood?

Q.2.Who was the first person to see Phantom's face after Diana?A2 - I was first going to say "Suzie" because that was the one I read recently but after searching on the web it turned out the first "man" to see the face is the Sand Hermit (D9 - 1939). Suzie definitely is the first "woman" after Diana.

Q.3.What was the name of the first villain who got killed by Phantom?A3 - I think it is Smiley (man who started the Jungle war) from the Diamond Hunters. There is a Singh guard he kills in "Singh Brotherhood - Part 2" but he was not the main villain.

Q.4.Which Phantom was the founder of Jungle Patrol?A4 - The sixth Phantom in 1664. He defeated the pirate king Redbeard who became the first Colonel and his crew became the first members of the Patrol.Other stories say this was 7th, with the 6th marrying a Sultan's daughter

Q.5.On which date Phantom for the very first time did appeared in his very first daily Strip-The Singh Brotherhood?A5 - 17th Feb 1936

KK: Kishore Bhai hats off to your keen interest taken in quiz part and efforts to solve it.All of your answers are correct except the last in which it was asked'On which date Phantom for the very first time did appeared in his very first daily Strip-The Singh Brotherhood?'Here the correct answer is 21st Feb.,as on this date Phantom for the very first time appeared in the strip though the strip commenced on 17th Feb. but Phantom made his entry or appeared in the strip on 21st Feb.only.Nevertheless,it can't prevent you from getting your due appreciation for the devotion and efforts towards quiz.3 cheers for you.